Unlikely stars send Braves to 10-2 win over Nats

- Mike Minor had already dressed and turned to talk with the
media when his new teammates saluted his first big league win.

How 'bout a beer shower, rookie?

If Minor and the Braves keep this up, it won't be the last time
they're getting doused.

Little-used Diory Hernandez sparked Atlanta with a pinch-hit
homer, All-Star Martin Prado returned from the disabled list
with three hits and Minor claimed his first big league win, 10-2
over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Minor (1-0) was rewarded with four cans of beers poured on his
head, delivered by Derek Lowe, Brooks Conrad, David Ross and
Billy Wagner.

"That's OK," Minor said. "Hopefully there will be more of these
to come. Hopefully I can get some other guys down the road."

Atlanta maintained its 2 1/2-game lead in the NL East on
Philadelphia, which defeated San Francisco 9-3.

Coming off their majors-best 20th victory on the final swing,
the Braves didn't need any dramatics in the opener of a series
against the lowly Nationals. Still, in keeping with the theme of
a surprising season, some unlikely players contributed to
Atlanta's sixth win in seven games.

Like Hernandez, who had batted only twice since coming up from
the minors on Aug. 2. With the Braves trailing 2-0, he led off
the sixth batting for Minor and came through with his second
career homer.

Like Matt Diaz, who had a two-run double that put the Braves
ahead for good while making a rare appearance in the cleanup
spot.

Like Minor, the Braves' first-round pick last year but only
pitching in the majors this soon because Kris Medlen went down
with a season-ending injury.

"It's been a year like that," Diaz said. "It's a different guy
every night. It's got that feel" like something special is
happening.

Now, if the fans of Atlanta would only take notice. Even with
the Braves contending for their first playoff appearance since
2005, just 16,911 turned out at Turner Field - by the far the
smallest home crowd of the season.

Minor pitched well in his second career start but was trailing
when he left, having surrendered two runs to the Nationals in
the sixth to ruin a scoreless duel.

"I was really upset," he said. "I felt like I pitched OK, but
those two runs killed me."

He wasn't upset for long. Hernandez's second career homer - and
first hit in the majors this season - seemed to rattle Scott
Olsen (3-5). He gave up just one hit over the first five
innings, but didn't get an out in the sixth.

Omar Infante tripled to the gap right-center and Jason Heyward
walked, prompting manager Jim Riggleman to call in right-hander
Joel Peralta. That move backfired when Prado, who had been on
the DL since breaking his right pinky on a slide July 30,
doubled into the right-field corner to bring home the tying run.

Diaz, hitting cleanup even with a .232 average and just five
homers, followed with another double into the left-field corner
to bring home both runners. Olsen was charged with three runs
and blew off reporters after the game, apparently upset about
getting yanked so soon by Riggleman.

"I thought our only chance to get out of the inning was to put a
right-hander on Prado and Diaz," the manager said. "It wasn't
going the way we wanted it to go. As good as (Olsen) had been,
it got away from him real quickly."

The Braves blew it open with four more runs in the seventh,
taking advantage of two Washington errors and a botched grounder
that was charitably scored a hit. Prado picked up his second RBI
with a single and Melky Cabrera blooped a two-run double to
short left field.

The Nationals grabbed their short-lived lead with a pair clutch
hits off Minor. With two outs, Wil Nieves lined a double just
inside the third-base bag to put the Nationals ahead, and Mike
Morse extended the lead with a double to the gap in left-center.

Nieves was only in the game because Ivan Rodriguez never got a
chance to put on his catching gear.

Pudge was ejected in the top of the first, apparently for
slamming his bat over a disputed strikeout that left two runners
stranded.

NOTES: The Braves signed 37 of their 51 picks in the amateur
draft before Monday's midnight deadline, including the top 17.
... Washington RHP Jason Marquis will make his next start Friday
at Philadelphia, despite an 0-5 record and 14.33 ERA. Stephen
Strasburg will pitch Saturday against the Phillies. ... Diaz was
batting cleanup for the sixth time this season. ... The Braves
batted around in both the sixth and the seventh innings.

NLAT ATLANTA - SCORING UPDATESOLO HOME RUN BY DIORY HERNANDEZ (1) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 0OUT IN THE 6TH OFF SCOTT OLSEN.CURRENT SCORE: WASHINGTON 2, ATLANTA 1DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: O INFANTE (.340, 1-FOR-2)